Military first to oppose Quiboloy’s custody wishes

MANILA, Philippines – It’s only been 24 hours since his arrest, but doomsday pastor Apollo Quiboloy has already publicized his wishes to be taken out of police custody — either a transfer to the military, or a house arrest according to his lawyer, but the Department of Defense (DND) immediately refused.

“The Department of National Defense will oppose any motion to have Pastor Quiboloy transferred to AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) custody. AFP facilities are subject to strict operational security protocols, thus, the AFP is not the proper agency to have custody of suspects in criminal cases,” said the DND in a statement issued late Monday, September 9. 

Quiboloy’s lawyer Israelito Torreon said they will file motions with the two courts in Quezon City and Pasig for the custody transfer of the pastor accused of trafficking and sexual abuse of children.

“We filed a motion for the transfer of his custody to the AFP, citing among other grounds, security reasons. And we are hoping that the court would grant the same, or at the very least, a house arrest, knowing that he also, he is already 74 years old,” said Torreon.

No party has yet shown a commitment order for Quiboloy from the court, a document that the judge releases to make the place of detention official.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is holding Quiboloy in its custodial center, famous for holding other high-profile detainees in the past. Dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo, who is accused of trafficking and money laundering related to illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, is currently in the PNP custodial center as well.

Place of detention

PNP’s internal rules requires them to secure commitment orders for its detainees. Although the same rules — PNP Memorandum Circular No. 2018-027 — say that the custodial facility is only temporary, detainees like former senator Leila de Lima spent years in detention there.

Generally, a detainee is committed to the nearest city or provincial jails which are supervised by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

Before he was convicted and sent to the New Bilibid Prison, retired major general Jovito Palparan was detained at an army facility in Makati. But that had the backing of the AFP even though private prosecutors opposed it. The judge approved the motion in the end.

In 2019, civilian convicts who were witnesses to the De Lima case were transferred to a marine barracks. But then-president Rodrigo Duterte admitted it was on his own order.

These are the latest of Quiboloy’s “wishes.” In hiding, he made some demands which police admitted that they listened to and considered before the pivotal operation Sunday, September 8, that led to his arrest after intense manhunt.

Quiboloy had specifically negotiated that the military be present in his arrest, since he reportedly did not trust the police. The Philippine government, following the green light of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. — agreed to this arrangement, which is why the Quiboloy camp is claiming he surrendered to military intelligence.

Quiboloy, one-time spiritual adviser to former president Duterte, faces accusations of sexual abuse against minors, cruelty against children, and human trafficking cases before courts in Quezon City and Pasig City. The sexual abuse against minors and cruelty against children charges lodged before Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 106 are bailable – P180,000 and P80,000 respectively. The human trafficking charges before the Pasig RTC Branch 159 are non-bailable.

Quiboloy has been wanted since 2021 in the United States over allegations that he forced girls and women into having sex with him, and trafficking church members to the United States to solicit donations.

Torreon, without going into specifics, said Quiboloy “has a health condition.” The lawyer cited Quiboloy’s supposed “advocacy against the New People’s Army (NPA)” as a reason for them to worry about his safety. 

“He has a health condition. And we are hoping and praying that any of those will be granted…If you have studied his life, he was very active in his advocacy against the NPAs. And he was actively supporting the [NTF-ELCAC or National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict], and he feels that the same should be considered, or we are praying that the same would be considered by the court in granting his motion,” said Torreon. – Rappler.com